Archive for July, 2009

KUCHING: Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) will not tread into areas already covered by other Dayak-based organisations despite the high expectations of the Dayak community for them to do so.

Instead, it will remain focused on the field of education as a way to empower the Dayak community and  it is hoping to raise at least RM100,000 this year for its educational, motivational and ‘people-building’ programmes. Its president Dr Dusit Jaul said the Dayaks still had a lot of catching up to do in terms of academic attainment and human capital development.

"There are a lot of people out there with high expectations of us, hoping that we cover land and Dayak customs. But we already have SADIA (Sarawak Dayak Iban Association), SDNU (Sarawak Dayak National Union) and DCCI (Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry) to cover those areas. "But in the field of education attainment for the Dayaks, leave it to SDGA. Just let us focus on this one area in order to create more impact," he told reporters.

He said the association would start its series of fundraising dinners in Kuching on Aug 22 at the Christian Ecunemical Centre, Jalan Stampin, which is expected to attract 800 people and raise at least RM60,000. Tickets are sold at RM500, RM1,000 and RM3,000 per table. There will also be presentation of cash incentives and certificates under the SDGA Dayak Education Excellence Awards (DEEDS) to Dayak students with outstanding results in last year’s PMR and SPM examinations.

"After Kuching, fundraising dinners will be held in other divisions," he said, adding that SDGA members were hoping to raise at least RM100,000 by end of this year. On its educational and motivational talk, he said the first such programme would be held in Kapit next Saturday (July 25), followed by a similar one in Krokong, Bau on Aug 1. "SADIA will be collaborating with us for the programme in Kapit, while Bidayuh Graduates Association (BGA) will help us with the programme in Bau," he said, adding the more such programmes would be held in other parts of Sarawak including smaller towns in the rural areas.

On the ‘people-bulding’ programmes taking off next year, he explained that these would cover career development, skills training and capacity building so that Dayaks can play a bigger part in the state and nation’s development policies and programmes. "We have identified a private institution that is willing to work with us in skills training for our people. He also revealed that SDGA had plans to conduct a research in order to come up with the real picture on the level of academic attainment among the Dayak racial groups. "In terms of population ratio, I think Ibans have the lowest percentage of academic attainment among the Dayaks.

The community has only three full professors in the persons of Dr Dimbab Ngidang, Dr Henry Rantai and Dr Jawan Empaling despite its larger population. "The Orang Ulu, especailly the Kelabit, has the highest percentage of academic attainment among the Dayaks.  (But whatever it is), we hope to conduct a research to come up with the real picture and come up with action plans," he said. He said SDGA was also thankful to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu for supporting the association by giving grants of RM20,000 while Minister of social Development and Urbanisation Dato Sri william Mawan pledged RM5,000.

Meanwhile, on the SDGA dinner in Kuching, he said all Dayak political leaders, community leaders, members of Dayak-based organisations and friends of Dayaks are invited to support the event. Dusit said they could call SDGA teasurer Johnny Jalin (019-8769681) or the dinner’s organising chairman Edwin Tawie (019-8349790) to purchase the tickets. The association’s new and revamped website will also be launched during that dinner. However, the guest-of-honour is yet to be announced.

He also called on Dayak parents of children with outstanding results in PMR and SPM to contact SDGA’s education sub-committee chairman Elly Lawai (013-8016464 or elly_99099@yahoo.com) on details to be eligible for the DEEDS cash incentives.

Source: The Borneo Post, 19 July 2009